A future of extremes?

The world's journalists have been jostling and vying with each other to describe and witness the stunning, but also deadly, extreme weather that has gripped the planet in recent months.

The focus has often been the tumbling of records: 2012 was the hottest year on record in the United States, the UK had its second wettest year on record and Australia's Bureau of Meteorology added extra colour to its temperature maps.

This caused quite a stir – and rightly so. In fact, it's about time.

The U.N.'s climate panel, IPCC, has been fairly consistent since 1990 in describing the cause and risk of climate change and the need to respond. The scientific evidence since then, however, has often been shouted down by climate deniers.

But the record-breaking heatwave that has sparked Australia's bushfires should be seen as part of a global warming trend, IPCC head Rajendra Pachauri stresses.

China is shivering through its coldest winter in three decades and unusually cold temperatures have hit the Middle East and India, where the capital Delhi experienced its coldest day for 44 years this month.

Although it's not possible to attribute every extreme weather event to climate change, climate scientists warn that extremes of drought, floods and superstorms will become more frequent due to global warming.

The consequences for failing to see the signs are deadly serious: 'superstorm' Sandy crashed into the Caribbean and the East Coast of the U.S. last year, causing massive power outages, flooding and destroying houses.

During the U.N. climate talks in Doha, Typhoon Bopha killed hundreds and left thousands of people homeless in the Philippines, bringing the country's climate change commissioner to tears.

Bloomberg also quotes the Globe International alliance of lawmakers saying that China, Mexico and other emerging economies are leading the fight against climate change by passing laws to cut carbon and raise energy efficiency.

sorry having to tell you...from an intellectual point of view I do have to support Petrobras and Shell in their efforts t...

@ Grateful Dead

sorry having to tell you...from an intellectual point of view I do have to support Petrobras and Shell in their efforts to search for oil.

With 'an estimated good' being done whenever DOCTOR Naidoo, CEO of Greenpeace International is flying to South Africa to see his AFRICAN daughter every couple of month we will need more oil for allowing DOCTOR Naidoo's lifestyle to do more 'estimated good'!

Can you follow?

:)

Sun Wu, godfather of RW III

PS: hey Andrew, I am sure you know the Power of Community...anyways, I have to recommend it to you, and to anyone around.

"Of course Petrobras would be an excellent target, but not in NZ!
The really CRAZY deepwater-drilling is said to be happening along the Br...

"Of course Petrobras would be an excellent target, but not in NZ!
The really CRAZY deepwater-drilling is said to be happening along the Brazilian coast.
Pure madness powered by PETROBRAS along the Brazilian coast."

That was last post, ...now this madness:
"sorry having to tell you...from an intellectual point of view I do have to support Petrobras and Shell in their efforts to search for oil."

I must admit I'm a bit confused with your usual flip-flop irrational comments. Sigh, it's what we've all come to expect from you. Anything and everything you can think of to give us all a slap for our efforts eh?
A new Greenpeace? No thanks, I Love this one, their actions and all they stand for, as do the 3 millon subscribers and countless millions of supporters. Can you feel their energy as I do, ...do you ever think about it?
But feel free to start your own organization, ...just count me out. Sorry, I don't support selfish, arrogant, and ruthlessly ambitious people.

A little about Captain Stewart, ...for your information. Yes he purchased 185 acres of land in the most pristine rainforest on earth in Costa Rica. He...

A little about Captain Stewart, ...for your information. Yes he purchased 185 acres of land in the most pristine rainforest on earth in Costa Rica. He has a modest 13 cabins there that can accomodate 30 guests, at El Remanso Wildlife preservation Lodge. A little something you should know about his protection and preservation of this priceless piece of property on this earth that his sister has run for some time now.

"This Osa Peninsula Lodging was designed with strict ecological policies in mind and has been a pioneer in sustainable practices in the Osa Peninsula since its creation in 1999. The lodge was one of the first in Costa Rica to provide its electricity exclusively by its own micro-hydro system. We reduce our environmental impact by recycling our waste, we run our own composting system, treat waste waters and participate in local reforestation programs on the Osa Peninsula. El Remanso also has close ties with the community and provides work for more than 25 local staff all year around.
Thanks to all these efforts, in 2011 the Costa Rican Tourism Board awarded the lodge with the highest rating of the Certification For Sustainable Tourism (CST – level 5) in the lodge’s first certification process."

Thank you so much Captain Joel Stewart, preserving and protecting this priceless treasure.

They have a great website, so have a look for yourself.
http://www.elremanso.com/